LARVAL SALIVARY-GLAND PROTEINS OF THE SHEEP NASAL BOT FLY, (ESTRUS-OVIS L), ARE MAJOR IMMUNOGENS IN INFESTED SHEEP

Tissue extracts from larval instars of the sheep nasal bet, Oestrus ov is, were resolved by gel electrophoresis under both native and denatur ing conditions. Polypeptides resolved under these conditions were test ed by immmunoblotting against sera of infested sheep. Of all tissues e xamined in this study, salivary glands proved to be major immunogens i n infested sheep. Salivary gland polypeptides were also detected in th e washing solution as larval secretory products (LSP). To a minor exte nt, a few polypeptides from the larval cuticle were also found to be i mmunogenic, but they did not contribute to LSP. These results were fur ther corroborated by nasal infestation of rabbits that also developed specific antibodies against larval salivary gland polypeptides from Oe strus ovis.